Where to watch the 2026 World Cup opening ceremonies live

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will open this Thursday, June 11, with three ceremonies across Mexico City, Toronto and Los Angeles, the first time FIFA has staged separate opening shows for all three host nations. Each ceremony will begin 90 minutes before kickoff and is being developed with Balich Wonder Studio around a shared theme of football’s power to bring people together while reflecting the identity of each host country. ALSO READ: What to know about FIFA’s 2026 World Cup music project Mexico gets the first spotlight. FIFA says the opening ceremony at Estadio Azteca (Mexico City Stadium) will lean into Mexican culture through music, dance and artistry, with papel picado as its visual reference. The lineup includes Alejandro Fernández, Belinda, Danny Ocean, J Balvin, Lila Downs, Los Ángeles Azules, Maná, Tyla, and, in a later addition, Shakira and Burna Boy. The show leads into Mexico’s Group A match against South Africa. Canada follows on Friday, June 12, at Toronto’s opening ceremony, which will lead into Canada’s first match against Bosnia and Herzegovina and feature a mosaic-inspired reimagining of the FIFA World Cup trophy. ALSO READ: What to know about the high tech ball to be used at World Cup 2026 The United States will stage its own opening ceremony the same day in Los Angeles, with Katy Perry, Future, Anitta, LISA, Rema and Tyla on the bill before the U.S. faces Paraguay. The three-city launch sits at the center of a larger tournament that will run from June 11 to July 19 across 16 host cities and 104 matches. FIFA says the format is designed to turn the start of the competition into a continent-wide celebration rather than a single opening-night spectacle. Time The World Cup celebrations begin in Mexico City on Thursday, June 11, with the opening ceremony scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Kigali time. The United States will host its opening ceremony at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, at 1:30 a.m. Kigali time, while Canada's opening celebration takes place at BMO Field in Toronto at 7:30 p.m. Kigali time on June 12. According to The Athletic, the Mexico City ceremony is expected to run for approximately 16 minutes and 30 seconds, while the ceremonies in Los Angeles and Toronto are each expected to last about 13 minutes. Where to watch Fans in Rwanda will be able to follow the entire tournament through several broadcast and streaming options. Azam TV holds the official FIFA World Cup 2026 broadcasting rights in Rwanda, with all 104 matches available live through the Azam Play subscription package, priced at Rwf6,500 per month. SuperSport, a subsidiary of MultiChoice Group under CANAL+, will also broadcast all 104 matches live across English-speaking African markets. Coverage will be available to DStv English Plus add-on subscribers and CANAL+ customers in Rwanda, alongside highlights packages and repeat broadcasts. For viewers who prefer streaming, platforms including YouTube TV, DirecTV, FuboTV and Peacock will also offer World Cup coverage, subject to regional availability.